Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Apple juice colour, with initial white foam and sediment that disapears. Inititially some sour flemish, wood, malt aromas, it quickly dimnishes to a more moderate sour,a little malt vinegary one seemingly mellowed. Corked 2004 vintage (is there another one?).The mouthfeel is average, or even a tad lighter, it is a little watery. A complex sourness, some vinegar, some good wood ageing,fully engaging the tastebuds, and there is some shock left on the tongue in the finish. Received in trade from Vincent in Belgium. (518 characters)

Huge, huge thanks to TurdFurgison for bringing this bottle over. Killing my wants yet again. Served in a Bruery tulip.

Pours a light golden color with no real head but a thin collar of bubbles throughout. The nose is slightly sweet with a good amount of light brown sugar. It smells and tastes like crystalized sugar and bready cookie and candy. Of course, along with that comes a good amount of acidity and a light cherry character. Light body with lowish carbonation. Quite sour, but not bruisingly so. Might be a bit of bottle variation, as Eric said his last bottle was incredibly sour. Very interesting and something I was thrilled to try. Thanks again, Eric. (665 characters)

Bottle: Poured a light pale reddish color ale with almost no carbonation and a little bubbly head that disappeared really quickly. Aroma consists of light sour notes with some very subtle oak and light cherries. Taste was quite a disappointment with a thin watery body and light tart notes with some oak and not nearly enough sour notes. I tasted this side-by-side with a regular Grand Cru from 2004 and this one was not even close to the regular GC. I wonder if the bottle had not been cellared properly but I won't seek this again. (533 characters)

Appearance: Clear still auburn, a very nice looking beer despite the lack of carbonation.

Aroma: Smells sharply of vinegar and acetone. Alcohol is noticeable, along with green apple and a bit of sour stomach bile. Harsh but not entirely unpleasant.

Palate: A ton of vinegar on the tongue, almost burning as it goes down. Strawberry, green apple. Drying, tannic, biting. No carbonation whatsoever. The finish drops off quickly but leaves the mouth watering. This is an odd one, not wholly unenjoyable but not something I'd want to revisit. (555 characters)

Review from notes, thanks to Brad for this one! Currently the last "top 10" Flanders Red left to review...probably the most elusive.

Orange jewel tone coloration with super bright clarity. The bottle looked to be filtered possibly, there was no sediment at all. Still pour, with a few bubbles lingering around the edges. Strong acetone aroma, with a slight wet wood mustiness in the background. Apple butter, cider, white grape, and mineral flavors. Mellow tartness, with the vinous feel of a Pino Grigio. Dry, tart, and acetic. An interesting experiment from Rodenbach, that hopefully continues in some form... (612 characters)

reddish pink color with a light haze to it and a nice and big head of off white that reached a height of around three iches before settling with tons of side glass lacing.

aroma is rich tart cherries and raspberries, rich and a perfect mix of tartness and sweet fruit notes, i was in heaven an melted into the glass. each sip was like a fruit explosion. cherries and berries, light sourness, hints of oak as it warms but always maintaining a lightness and an airyness that kept it soo smooth and easy to drink it was absurd. such a nice dry, clean, and tart finish that left the long lasting fruit and light oak flavor (649 characters)

I was lucky enough to score a bottle of this at de heren van liedekerke. Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a layer of off white head that disappears completely.

Smell: This beer is very sweet and malty. Some fruit and caramel notes along with a slight tartness. Almost like a tart barleywine, this one seems different from anything else I've tried.

Taste: Follows closely from the smell. Bitter and rather malty. Bread and sweet caramel notes along with a red berry tartness. There is no funky or mineral type note, just a slight tartness. The tartness carries the beer to the finish and there is no alcohol to be found at this point.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with mild carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This was a weird one for me. Not a bad beer at all, just very different. I liked it, but I don't think I would trade the cellar to get another. (896 characters)

T - Taste is significantly better, with a mixture of malt vinegar, tart apple skins, and some oaky vanilla and caramel malt to balance out the intense acetic flavors. Thankfully the "rotten" part of the aroma disappears. Alcohol is pretty well-hidden too.

M - No carbonation, medium and sticky body. Super acidic - there's far more burn from the insane amounts of acetic acid than there is from the alcohol content. Finishes extremely dry and tannic.

D - This particular bottle was approaching Santa Fe Wild Ale #6 and 1999 Selection Lambic territory in terms of acidity. Splitting the bottle three ways was a wise idea. I'd be interested to try another bottle to see how much variation there is, but I'd much prefer a fresh batch at this stage in the game. It's certainly unique, but probably not for everyone. (1,271 characters)

Whoa...Vin du Céréale 2004 (only vintage?) shared by the other Matt recently. Thanks a bunch Matt. The revenge is coming.

Little bottle wrapped in white paper. Beneath the paper is a tiny green bottle with this amber / brown beer in it. No sediment at all in the bottle. Beer poured into a tulip. Beer is clear and forms no real head to speak of, carbonation is nearly gone and of course this nonexistent carbonation and ghost head doesn't not leave lacing on the glass. The swirl does not leave legs on the glass.

Strong aroma, very acetic, a little solventy at times, but its mildly malty and a little funk but not a lot. There is some lactic acid in there as well. Its not metallic or leathery just a clean strongly acetic aroma.

Beer is thin in the body and moderately acetic in the forward and midpalate. There is almost a sour apply / pear feeling in the middle to late palate, perhaps a mild citric flavor to the whole thing. Its not super complex in the mouth but its a great Flanders. Drinkability is good and mouthfeel is about what I expected. A great beer. (1,073 characters)

I acquired this bottle in a trade with ygtbsm94. Thanks Brad! I shared it with drabmuh last Sunday.

2004 vintage

Upon the removal of the paper, I was surprised to find a green bottle. The beer is very clear and has almost no head left at all. What is there fades almost immediately, leaving no lacing. What more could you expect from a 10% Flanders ale over six years old?

The flavor seems to have held up fine. There is a very sour, funky , wild yeast aroma. The aroma is really quite amazing, actually. The beer tastes extremely tart, with a vinegar note evident in the finish.

Overall, a really interesting beer and a very enjoyable experience. (653 characters)

Foeder 132, Bottle #004711, 2004 Bottle Date; Sampled April 2008Served lightly chilled in a 25cl tulip glass. As expected the beer pours completely headless, only a slight ring of bubbles forms on top of a brilliantly clear, honey copper colored beer. A close inspection actually shows a slow, persistent generation of bubbles rising up from the bottom of my glass, so there is a touch of CO2 here. The aroma is tart, fruity and warm from alcohol. Reminds me a bit of a mix of apple cider-vinegar and brandy. Acetic & lactic acid aromatics up front yield to soft apple and perhaps a touch of plum aromatics. It is actually quite sour smelling throughout and other than this it is not overly funky. A chewy malt character seems to lay just underneath the surface here, never particularly noticeable, but its presence is somehow sensed in the aroma.

Quite tart tasting, and very dry up front, but it does pick up some very slight sweetness towards the middle and beginning of the finish that accents a soft cider-like flavor. Very light for a beer of this strength, and the alcohol is quite well hidden in the flavor by the dominant tartness. Mainly a lactic acidity is found in this beer, though a touch acetic essence is here as well. Dusty, stale malt flavors (like some crushed malt that has been left out for a couple of weeks) seem to inject themselves into the finish. Definitely not completely flat, the carbonation is quite slight, but contributes an extra texture to this beer. This really does have an apple cider essence to it that is quite nice and provides a slight balance to the tartness. This beer is not overly sour, at least compared to a hard Lambic, but is certainly quite tart tasting. Flavors of tamarind, slight sherry and some grassy, lightly toasted (to the aromatic point with not browning) grain.

This is certainly a sipping beer, though given a couple hours a 375ml bottle is not unmanageable. A very interesting take on a Barley Wine (or literally Grain Wine). I definitely am enjoying this brew, it is quite the experience. I find it interesting that the alcohol is only noticeable as a nose warming sensation in the nose, but not in the flavor. All in all this is quite soft tasting, the malt has certainly mellowed over all this time and the acidity, while substantial, is not harsh at all. Quite an experience. (2,345 characters)

12.7oz bottle split with oglmcdgl into some snifters. A corked bottle that is wrapped up in paper. Thanks to laura for bringing these back from across the pond.

A- Once the cork is popped with a slight sound it was poured into the smifters with vigor. All I got was liquid with very loose and small clear bubbles. No head whatsoever. Pretty still beer here. Well it is 10% and 6 years old at this point so there is that. (4)

S- Smells like a very light rodenbach mixed in with some cider notes. There is a very minimal amount of vinegar that is kinda hard to pick out. Big apple skin presence with some pears thrown in for good measure. Some cheerry some oak. Not very bold, simple, but amazing at the same time.

T- I don't know why people are saying this is overly sweet, sure there is some sweetness in there but not cloying and not medicinal at all. Like the nose I detect alot of cidery tastes with apples up front, kinda odd, I know. Some tart cherry mixed with minimal malt. A small earthy yeasty vibe about in the middle finishing semi tart and dry.

M- This is a small step above light bodied. I thought this would be thicker, but it remains pretty thin and not very lively. But that does not matter because for a 10 percent beer, the alcohol does not make a appearence at all. Semi sweet and semi tart on the mouth.

D- This is easy drinking and I enjoyed it alot. I could probably drink a few bottles of this without a sweat because 1. the alcohol is hidden, 2. the vinegar is light and 3. Rodenbach does flanders red's right! A winner in my eyes. Much more drinkable than the other versions i've had even with the higher alcohol. (1,643 characters)

375ml bottle shared recently at a local tasting. It poured a clear, amber orange color with a thin white lacing that disappeared shortly after.

I get a good amount of tart, crisp apples mixing with some cinnamon in the aroma. A little sour, funkiness comes through as well and adds some complexity. Some alcohol shows as well but fits right in with the other flavors. Very nice and interesting aroma to it, loved the tart, sour apple and cinnamon like combo.

The taste also shows a good amount of tart apples to it with a little bit of the cinnamon showing through. The finish starts to show some sharper, sour flavors with a little vinegar.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being low. Overall I thought it was a very good beer. I really liked the sour apple and cinnamon flavors I got out of it. Very deep and complex with lots of unique flavors to it. (874 characters)

Thanks again to ygtbsm for sending this in a long ago trade. Shared at Capone's with a bunch of folk.

Pours a dark golden copper/ruby orange color with burnt orange hues when held to a light source. A thin white head makes a faint appearance before fading away but otherwise this is almost still.

The aroma of this beer is wonderful with a strong bonus character and oak tannis. There's a good bit of tart funkiness in the nose along with some sweet fruit, mostly apple, grape and other berries. Slight vinegar presence as well.

Slightly sweet tart puckering mouthfeel with lots of vinous dark fruit notes and oak tannis. After all ofthese years the fruit, oak and vanilla are still prominent and the fruit flavors haven't faded at all. Again, I'm picking up apple, grap, cherry and other dak berries. At 10% this beer is very quaffable with practically no heat at all. Slightly vinegary with a tart, puckering finish that leaves me salivating for another sip. Excellent! (974 characters)

From 375mL bottle to Bruges glass at a small gathering of NoVA BA's on 9/4/11*From notes

-- Thanks for generously sharing this at our tasting, Ed --

A: An aggressive pour into the center of my glass yields no head and zero lacing. Brilliant, reisiny copper-rust hue.

S: Extremely condensed. Like sweet fruit left on the vine post-harvest, it comes off a bit like a long-cellared Sauternes. A streak of vinegar runs through the heart, and adds to the complexity.

T: From the moment it hits my lips, I can tell this is something special. It's got a richness to it, like the brewmaster has rung every last drop of juice from two tons of sun dried fruit. Yet there's quite a sour, tannic funk to it. How the sweet and sour mingle in the mouth is unmatched and will not soon be forgotten. This brew nothing short of astonishing.

M: Slightly oily. It lacks the carbonation I look for in a Flanders Red, yet this actually helps in compacting the flavors on the palate.

O: Rodenbach's Vin de Céréale is simply superb. I can't believe how complex, unique and utterly delicious this brew is. It will certainly go down as one of the better beers I've had this or any year, and in a tasting that included Isabelle Proximus, this is the sour I'll remember most. (1,258 characters)

I had this bottle at the Kulminator. 12.7oz, wrapped in paper, 2004 listed on the bottom (the only time it's been made to date).

The beer pours a clear, light copper color, with a thin foam ring around the edges. It seems on the flat side, just a few bubbles. 10% ABV, made 7 years ago, no worries.

It smells strongly acidic, also cheese-like. Vinegar plays its part too, and it smells a bit sweet as well.

It tastes initially sweet but just barely, with hints of cherries or apples, then turns violently tart and acidic, burning my digestive tract as I drink it. Excellent! While tasting different from Alexander it shares some commonality, at least based on my recollection of 2 bottles I tried 4 months ago. I can't get the oak others have mentioned but I will say this has a LOT going on. Very tasty, and I could keep smelling it for hours.

Light body, very light carbonation, the only thing slowing consumption rate is the acid. I bought some to take home, loved this very much. (988 characters)

The beer pours a light clear copper, not much head or lacing...The aroma is really nice and complex. You get some really nice vinegar on the fornt which confuses the senses as you think the beer should darker colored. The vinegar is balanced with a little grass and has an almost white wine (savuginon blanc flavor)... The first sip is a little strong almost like grain alcohol mixed with vinegar but as you get into it becomes much sweeter. The vinegar is still present, but its got some grass, some very light wood/alcohol on the finish. A ton going on, super complex...The feel is very warming, it also coats the whole mouth...Its nice to drink but couldn't finish a whole bottle.

Overall, this is a another great one from Rodenbach with a twist. (824 characters)

Still red with no head or lace, this is what you'd expect. The nose has a bight, acidic cherry character, very acetic and bright. Lots of vanilla, toffee and caramel are present. Very sharp. The palate opens very sour and acetic, with cherries, raspberries and not as harsh as I expected. Surprisingly, this isn't as harsh as some of the New Belgium sours. Still and flat, this has an excellent finish with a blend of fruit and vinegar. Highly recommended, despite the high acetic character. (589 characters)

Bronze color, very very clean. No bubbles, and no foam.In the smell malt, acetic sourness, and quite sweet.Same notes for the taste, maybe a bit too sweet.Beside that, you can feel it is more alcoholic than the Rodenbach Grand Cru, you can feel the acetic sourness, it is interesting.But in the end, it left us not completely satisfatied.A bit sugary.Good acetic sourness in the aftertaste, and the 10% ABV is well hidden (427 characters)

Pour is an apple juice looking amber with no head. The nose is of green apple, sweet caramel malt, light vinegar, sour cherries and light acetic acid. Flavor follows the nose, sweeter and brighter cherries and less acetic. Creamy medium to full body with decent carbonation. Rather sweet and a touch vinegary with light carb to balance. (336 characters)

A - Pours orange, very odd looking. It's pretty, if you can/should use that word to describe a beer. No head to speak of, very ransparent. Weird looking, but not bad.

S - Tart smelling, a lot of wine-vinegar smell. A sweet strawberry scent comes off of this, adding an additional layer to the smell. Quite nice.

T - A real shock to the system, at first it was like drinking vinegar. You actually get used to that very quickly. A lot of apple-cider like taste on it, especially as it seems to be somewhat flat. The tartness explodes on the end as it leaves your mouth.

M - Flat, pretty light, a little syrupy.

D - Tart and flat takes this to just a little above average. It tastes good, but is hard to get down. On the plus side, shocked that this is 10%. (788 characters)